Cradle



UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. MEEK AND GEORGE w. MEEK, F- DENISON, TEXAS.

CRADLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 478,450, dated July 5, i892.

Applioation filed January 2, 1892. Serial No. 416,889. (No model.)

1'0 all whom itmag concern..- 7

Be it known that we, JAMES H. MEEK and GEORGE W. MEEK, residing at Denison, in the county of Grayson and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cradles, of which the follwing is a specification. I

Our invention has for its object to provide a hanging cradle suspended from its-supporting-frame in such a manner as to render it capable of vertical, lengthwise, and sidewise movements, such supporting-frame and cradle being arranged in such a manner whereby the cradle is capable of being moved,;as stated, 1n an easy, uniform, and steady mo- 7 tion without the danger of tilting over.

Our invention also has for its object to provide acradle of the kind stated in which the cradle and its supporting-frame are so arranged that the frame maybe folded up to beset aside without the necessity of removing the cradle from the frame or detaching any of the component parts of the frame.

To these ends our invention consists in the peculiar combination and novel arrangement of parts, all of which will be hereinafterfully described in the annexed specification, and particularly pointed out in the claims, refer ence being had to the ings,in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved cradle. Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof; and Fig. 3 is a similar section showing the supporting-frame folded up.

The main supporting-frame consists of the crossed bars A A, which are held together by means of a rod B, the central or body portion of which is disposed at a point below the axial connection of the bars, fora purpose hereinafter explained, while the outer ends thereof are bent up, as at b b, and formed into outwardly-extending axle portions 1) 1), upon which the said arms are mounted, such arms being held thereon by the nuts I) and washers b as shown. The lower ends of the opposite pair of bars A are braced and connectedwith each other by the brace-rods C O,

which are securely held to such arms by the jam-nuts c c; and the upper ends of each set of the saidbars A A are limited in their outward movement by means of the chains D D,

accompanying draw;-

as clearly To form a secure fastening, the ends of the springs l are secured to the hooks e and the eyes 9, as most clearly shown in Fig. 1, by referenceto which it will be seen theends f of the loopf are bent in and inserted into the coiled portion, which holds the ends f from pulling out. It will be noticed that by suspending the cradle-body in the manner shown it is capable of movement in almost every direction, and by-s'ecuring the springs to the four corners thereof it is, securely held from tipping over and its movement is ren-'.

dered more uniform and at. the same time provides a support of considerable strength.

H indicates a cord, which 'is secured to the bottom of the cradle-body and is passed un der a sheave I and out to' one side to within convenient reach of the operator, and to previde for imparting a vertical movement to the cradle the sheave I is swivelly mounted in a bracket member b formed centrally of and integral with the rod B, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3, andto hold the cord inplace on the sheave I, as it is turned to the position desired, a guard .J is provided, which-is secured to the sheave-shank j, as shown. It. will be also noticed that when the cord H is pulled in the direction indicated by the arrow the cradle is drawn down toward the pulley I, such movement being permitted bythe rod B being bent in the manner before.stated,.

and by releasing the cord the tensile strain on the springs will drawthe cradle upward.

K indicates a cord secured to the side: of

the cradle, by means of which it can be moved sidewise, thesidewise pull on a pair ofsprings serving to produce a tensile strainsuificient to pull the body back to its normal position.

[00 .L indicates pivoted hooks secured to the cross-bars'A, as shown, and which are ar- I ranged to hook into openings b in the rod B and lock the frame to its open position.

When it is desired to set the cradle aside,

the hooks L are lifted from engagement with the rod B and the arm closed into the posttiOn shown in Fig. 3, which movement is accomplished without removing the body G or detaching anyfof the parts of the frame.

Having thus-described our invention, what wetclaim, and desire to secilre by Letters Paten 1s 1. A swinging cradle comprising the folding end bars A, the cross-bar B, having a depressed pdrtion b, and end projections b forming the pivotal axes for the bars A, the catches L, pivoted to the end bars and adapted to engage the depressedpart b of the bar B, the cradle G, and the spring-suspensions F, connecting the cradle with the upper ends of the arms, all arranged substantially as shown, and for thepurpc e described.

2. The combination, with the crossed bars A A, the rod B, having a depressed portion 1),, and projections b, forming the axial bearing for the bars A A, and with a lateral extension I), the cradle G, and the spring connections F, of the sheaves I, swiveled on the extension b of the bars B, the guard or shield J, and the cord H, secured to the bottom of the cradle and passed under the sheave, substantially 30 as shown, and for the purpose described.

' JAMES H. MEEK,

GEORGE W. MEEK.- Witnesses:

H. S. DECKER, \VALTER. R mes. 

